Flexible pouch filling, sealing and fitment insertion system

ABSTRACT

A method of filling pouches, particularly drink pouches, with few steps in the process. A pouch is provided for filling and placed on its side on a conveyor belt. The pouch is pushed to a stop such that the open end of the pouch is placed for accurate engagement by clamps which pick up the pouch on both sides of the mouth and rotate the pouch to a vertical position with the mouth facing upward. The clamps then move relative to the center of the pouch opening the mouth, optionally with an incoming jet of air to assist with the opening. A substance such as a liquid to drink is then placed in the pouch, the clamps are moved apart and the pouch sealed. Fitments may be placed in the pouch before the pouch mouth is closed and sealed. The filled pouches are then released from the clamps.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to preformed flexible pouch packaging filling and sealing systems and their uses.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The flexible pouches filled by this system may be stand-up pouches or traditional flat pouches. The pouch may be constructed out of a wide range of materials including plastics, foils, and paper. The pouch shapes vary but they are all sealed on three of the four sides before being presented to the filling and sealing system. In all cases the pouches are filled through an opening at the top of the pouch while the pouch is in an upright position.

There are many packaging systems available to fill these flexible pouches. All existing systems either use integral pouch formers or manually and/or robotically transfer pouches from a remote pouch former into a filler/sealer in-feed cartridge, robotic transfer/carrier clip chain system or a carrier puck system. Due to their basic design these systems are either inflexible, slow, or have several pouch transfers, which adds to equipment cost and reduces system speed, efficiency and quality. U.S. Pat. No. 6,931,824 is an example of such a package system.

This invention utilizes remote pouch makers and eliminates the need for all manual or robotic transfers, carrier pucks, or chain clip pouch carrier systems by taking the pouches directly from the pouch former in a continuous motion servo drive 4-lane conveyor utilizing a filling/sealing swing jaw system, which maintains complete control of the pouches during the entire filling and sealing process. These swing jaws present the pouches to the fillers, sealers, and fitment placement system in the proper orientation and alignment. They also bring the sides of the pouches closer together for proper opening in the filling and fitment placement processes and stretch the sides of the pouch taunt for proper sealing during the sealing and seal cooling processes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is described by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a flexible stand-up pouch with a flat base.

FIG. 2 shows a flexible stand-up pouch with a fin-sealed base.

FIG. 3 shows a flexible stand-up pouch with a fitment drink pour spout.

FIG. 4 shows an elevation view of the overall arrangement of the packaging system.

FIG. 5 shows a plan view of the overall arrangement of the packaging system.

FIG. 6 shows a plan view of the method the pouches are swept into the pouch clamps and rotated 90% from a flat position to a upright position.

FIG. 7 shows details of the pouch brush sweep system.

FIG. 8 shows a detail of the pouch brush sweep travel pattern.

FIG. 9 show the top view of a typical sweep jaw unit.

FIG. 10 shows details of the back side of a typical sweep jaw unit.

FIG. 11 shows the a perspective view of one of the sweep brush conveyors.

FIG. 12 shows details of one of the individual sweep brushes.

FIG. 13 shows details of the travel of the sweep jaws through the 90% tilt phase of the conveyor travel.

FIG. 14 shows the details of the fitment robotic placement system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, container 1 is known as a flexible stand-up pouch and it includes vertical walls 5, flat base 8, vertical side seals 6 & 7 and open mouth 4. FIG. 2 shows a container 2 with a standard flexible non-stand-up pouch, which is similar to container 1 with the exception that it has a fin-sealed bottom 68 instead of flat base 8, as the stand-up pouch bottom. FIG. 3 shows container 3 as a stand-up pouch and is similar to container 1 except the open mouth 4 is replaced by closed mouth 64 and contains a fitment (drink/pour spout) 9.

FIG. 4 shows an elevation view and FIG. 5 shows a plan view of the packaging system's general arrangement. Pouches 100 are fabricated in a stand alone pouch former 10 preferably at a rate of between 800 and 1,200 pouches per minute. Completed pouches 100 are discharged from the pouch former 10 into 4 lanes in the arrangement shown in FIG. 6. Pouches 100 are guided by guide 12 into 4-lane continuous motion pouch clamp conveyors 11 a, 11 b, 11 c, 11 d. To support the pouches until they are properly located and secured. Support bucket conveyors 15 and 16 have been inserted between the 4 lanes of the pouch clamp conveyors 11 a, 11 b, 11 c, 11 d. After pouches 100 have been initially deposited onto conveyors 15 and 16 as shown in FIG. 6 the pouches 100 are swept into position by sweep brush conveyors 13 and 14. After the pouches are in position they are clamped by the 4 lines of pouch clamps 70 shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. Conveyors 15 and 16 end and the pouch clamps 70 are tilted 90% to present the mouth 4 of the pouches 100 for the filling and sealing process. The pouches 100 then travel under sections 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24 for filling, fitment placement and sealing. Sections 17 through 24 are supported above the pouch clamp conveyors 11 a, 11 b, 11 c, 11 d on an articulating beam system 72 which allows them to perform their tasks in synchronization with the pouch clamp conveyors 11 a, 11 b, 11 c, 11 d. In section 17 the pouch clamps 70 tilt the pouches 100 into the vertical position and the clamp jaws 25 and 26 are brought closer together, thus opening the mouth 4 of pouch 100. In section 18 suction cups open the top pouch opening and an air blow inflates the pouch. Section 19 is the primary fill station. Section 20 is the secondary fill station. Section 21 is used for as a 3^(rd) filling station or a spare if a third fill station is not required, In section 22 fitments are inserted in the top of the pouch, clamp jaws 25 and 26 move away from each other and a tack seal is applied to seal the mouth 4. The final top seal is applied in section 22. In section 23 a cooling seal bar (not shown) is applied to the top seal. In section 24 the filled and sealed pouches are transferred from the pouch clamp conveyor 11 a, 11 b, 11 c, 11 d to top chain conveyors (not shown) that takes the pouches through cooling (if needed), integrity testing and straw application (if needed) into case packaging.

The pouch former 10 preferably produces pouches at 800 to 1,200 pouches/minute in 4 rows of 2 pairs each. Each pair has their mouths 4 adjacent to each other and their bases 8 remote from one another as shown in FIG. 6. All 4 rows are produced with little clearance between each row as shown in FIG. 6.

The finished pouches 100 are discharged from the pouch former 10 on a flat belt through pouch guide 12 into four rows on the pouch clamp conveyors 11 a, 11 b, 11 c, 11 d and support bucket conveyors 15 and 16. The pouch guide 12 is a slanted metal guide that insures the pouches 100 from the pouch former 10 are deposited into the pouch clamp conveyers 11 a, 11 b, 11 c, 11 d and support bucket conveys 15 and 16 properly. Without this guide the pouches 100 may float in the air and over shoot the proper bucket location.

FIGS. 6, 7, 8, 11 and 12 show the details of how the sweep brush conveyors 13 and 14 and the support bucket conveyors 15 and 16 configure and align the pouches 100 in the pouch clamp conveyers 11 a, 11 b, 11 c, 11 d and the pouch clamp 70. Once the pouches 100 are deposited from the pouch former 10 on to the pouch clamp conveyor lanes 11A, 11B, 11C, & 11D and bucket support conveyors 15 and 16 as shown in FIG. 6 they are sweep into guides and stops located in the pouch clamps 70 of the pouch clamp conveyors lanes 11A, 11 B, 11C, and 11 D.

The sweep brush conveyors 13 and 14 are servo drive and move thin flexible brushes 49 along with the pouches 100 in the same direction of flow. The metal guide 27 ensures that none of the brush bristles inadvertently get under the pouches or knock the pouches 100 out of alignment as they are being transferred on the sweep jaw conveyor 11. Once the pouches 100 are nested in the bucket conveyors 15 and 16 and the pouch clamp conveyers 11 a, 11 b, 11 c, 11 d, the brushes 49 are moved perpendicular to the flow thereby forcing the pouches 100 into the correct alignment in the pouch clamps 70 as shown in FIGS. 6, 9 and 10. This movement is facilitated by the brush shafts 51 sliding horizontally to the conveyor flow along the slot in carriage bar 50. The horizontal movements are caused and controlled by the brush shafts riding in grooved guides 52.

Once the pouches 100 are in the correct alignment in the pouch clamp conveyers 11 a, 11 b, 11 c, 11 d clamp jaws 25 and 26 clamp the pouches into place. After the pouches 100 are secure the pouches are conveyed past support bucket conveyors 15 and 16 the sweep jaws rotate 90% to present the pouches in a vertical position with their mouths 4 up as showed in FIGS. 6 and 13.

The clamp jaws 25 and 26 are detailed in FIGS. 9, 10 and 13. These clamp jaws 25 and 26 are horizontally opposed on conveyor lane 11 a, 11 b, 11 c and 1 d. As clamp jaws 25 and 26 are affixed to pouch clamp conveyers 11 a, 11 b, 11 c, 11 d drive chains and are moved in the direction of flow by a continuous motion servo drive motor (not shown). As the clamp jaws 25 and 26 move along in the horizontal position, pouch cam 48 will open spring loaded clamp jaws 25 and 26 by pushing up cam followers 36 and 37. After the clamps are open, pouches 100 are inserted into the jaws. Pouch cam 48 then relieves the upward pressure on cam followers 36 and 37 and clamp jaws 25 and 26 secure the pouches. The pouch clamps 70 travel forward and are tilted 90% into the upright position by guide rails 45. As the pouch clamps 70 travel further cam 46 pushes cam follower 35 upward decreasing the distance between clamp jaws 25 and 26, which allow pouches 100 to be opened for filling. Later in the operation cam 46 relieves the pressure on cam follower 35 allowing the pouch mouth 4 to be stretched for proper sealing. Cam 48 also pushes cam followers 36 and 37 forward opening clamp jaws 25 & 26 allowing the filled and sealed pouches to be removed.

The fitment placement system is shown in FIG. 14. Bulk fitments 9 are placed into vibratory feed hopper 54. The fitments 9 are fed into the vibratory feeder chute 55. The fitments are taken from the feeder chute 55 by rotary spacer 56 and then transferred to feeder transfer belt 57. Robotic picking fingers 59 take the fitments 9 from the feeder transfer belt 57. After the robotic picking fingers 59 have secured the fitments 9 the robotic arm arrangement 58 transfers them into the open mouth 4 of the pouches 100. The robotic arm arrangement 58 holds the fitments 9 in place while traveling with the continuous motion clamp conveyers 11 a, 11 b, 11 c, 11 d until the sealing jaws 60 complete a tack seal. After the fitments and pouch openings are tack sealed they proceed through the rest of the operation and receive a final seal, a seal cooling plate, and finally are discharged into an overhead conveyor for cooling and casing. FIG. 14 shows one typical line out of the 4 that make up the entire system.

Although most of the drawings show the typical operation on one of the four sweep jaw lines it should be noted that the system preferably is a 4 line system. The filling is completed by unique positive displacement bottom up fillers (not shown). Although the pouch opening sealing is referred to as heat sealing, ultrasonic sealing or any other method of sealing, can be used with this system.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,931,824 is attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described. 

1. A method of filling pouches comprising, obtaining empty pouches having an open mouth end, a closed flat base end, and side walls, positioning empty pouches on a conveyor with the mouth positioned against a stop by a sweeping mechanism, without the pouches overlapping each other, attaching a clamp to each side of the pouch at a fixed position proximate the open mouth end while the empty pouch is horizontal on the conveyor, rotating the pouch to a vertical position with the open mouth end facing upward by rotating the clamps from a horizontal to a vertical position, moving at least one of the clamps toward the other clamp to open the mouth of the pouch.
 2. (canceled)
 3. A method of filling pouches as in claim 1 with the further step of, filling the pouch with a substance.
 4. A method of filling pouches as in claim 3 with the further step of, moving at least one clip away from the other to close the mouth of the pouch.
 5. A method of filling pouches as in claim 4 with the further step of, sealing the open mouth end of the pouch.
 6. A method of filling pouches as in claim 5 with the further step of, releasing the clamps from the pouch after pouch is sealed.
 7. A method of filling pouches comprising, obtaining empty pouches having an open mouth end, a closed flat base end, and side walls, positioning empty pouches on a conveyor with the mouth positioned against a stop by a sweeping mechanism, without the pouches overlapping each other, attaching a clamp to each side of the pouch at a fixed position proximate the open mouth end while the empty pouch is horizontal on the conveyor, rotating the pouch to a vertical position with the open mouth end facing upward by rotating the clamps from a horizontal to a vertical position, using horizontally moving brushes attached to the conveyor to position the empty pouches to a position for engagement by the clamps.
 8. A method of filling pouches as in claim 3 with the further step of, placing a fitment inside the open mouth of the pouch, and moving the clamps are away from each other.
 9. A method of filling pouches as in claim 8 with the further step of, sealing the open mouth end of the pouch.
 10. A method of filling pouches comprising, obtaining empty pouches having an open mouth end, a closed flat base end, and side walls, positioning empty pouches on a conveyor with the mouth positioned against a stop by a sweeping mechanism, without the pouches overlapping each other, attaching a clamp to each side of the pouch at a fixed position proximate the open mouth end while the empty pouch is horizontal on the conveyor, rotating the pouch to a vertical position with the open mouth end facing upward by rotating the clamps from a horizontal to a vertical position, using horizontally moving brushes proximate the conveyor to position the empty pouches to a position for engagement by the clamps.
 11. A method of filling pouches as in claim 1 with the further step of, blowing air into the mouth of the pouch to help open it. 